TURN OF THE CENTURY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 94, 7 May 1937, Page 40 (Supplement)

TURN OF THE CENTURY

Quiet' Period for the borough "I can remember when the only buildings in Hastings were the old Railway Station, a wooden building standing wlicre the present Grand Hotel was built, a small shack where the Union Bank now stands, a blacksmitk's shop on Baird's site, and a small store on the corner of., Karamu road and Heretaunga street. That was in 1874," says Mr. T. J. Thompson, who was Mayor, of Hastings from 1906 till 1909. "Opposite where the . Grand Hotel has been built was 'all swamp, and slieep were grazing on both sides of the' road about where the Albert Hotel now stands* I have seen Hastings grow, and I am quite confideni? that Hastings ♦ • is going to have'a verybright future." / . Mr. Thompson was first eleeted to 'the Borougli .'Council in 1899 and served seven years as a councillor. At that time the Mayor was eleeted every year. Mr. Thompson contestcd the Mavoralty with Mr. "W. Y* Dennett in 1906 and was suecessful, and thereafter he contested the seat every year till 1909. No big borough works, were carried out in those days and no loans were raised; the object was to rcduce the bank overdraft. * The only debt wliich had been incurred by the borough up to that time was about £26,000 for sewerage. Mr. Thompson 's council, however, applied itself to the efficient metalling of the borough roads, and during the three years of Miv. Thompson 's mayoralty approxi'■mately 30,000 yards of metal was cartcd* Mr. Thompson ' reealls that a tliree-ycar contract'was let to'Powdrell Bros. for the .cartage and delivery , of metal at 2/6 a yard Before Mr. Thompson V time metalling was carried out with I'ivcr shinglc, but traffic throw it all to onc side of tlie road. It was thcrefore arranged that red metal from Tc Alata should bc used, and a big rcduction in maintenance costs, resuitcd. . The sparsely-settled town area in those days gave litflc flint of the coming growth of tlie borough. *7 "I want to eongratulatc other mayors and borough councils on the work they "liaye carried out since those days i.ncl the progress -they have made," concluded Mr. Thompson* "I am eonfidcut that Hastings lias a very b right future ahead of it."